


2. Strangulation

by SuikoKitten



Series: 31 Days Of Whump and Hurt/Comfort [2]
Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Fighting, Implied Character Death, M/M, Strangulation, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:34:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27018151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuikoKitten/pseuds/SuikoKitten
Summary: Miller whacked his assailant with his crutch, but it was ineffective.  Lying prone on his back with his attacker straddling his waist made it difficult to work up enough strength to do much harm.  It wouldn’t have been so bad and he could probably have done some damage if he could only breathe.
Relationships: Big Boss/Kazuhira Miller
Series: 31 Days Of Whump and Hurt/Comfort [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1971688
Kudos: 12





	2. Strangulation

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS for the ending of MGSV:TPP, so read with caution!

It was the middle of the night and Kazuhira Miller had been lying down to sleep when the door had creaked and swung open. Assuming it was Big Boss, Miller muttered something about getting some rest like he had been told. Big Boss had been unusually henlike since he had found Miller in Da Gwandai Khar. Miller didn’t bother turning the light back on. Boss would be fine without it and Miller was going the fuck to sleep now. 

“Boss, I’m going to sleep. I’m fine!” Miller snarled, leaning his crutch against the bedside table. “I’ve been to the med bay, too, so just…!” 

Big Boss hadn’t made a peep as he approached him. Boss had been different since he came back from his coma- less talkative and more… reserved. Blank. It sometimes seemed as if he was searching for some sort of cue that would tell him how to respond when anyone spoke to him. The shrapnel couldn’t be helping, but it also couldn’t be removed, so Kazuhira figured that they would all learn to adapt to it eventually, even if it was hard and everything felt so wrong. 

“Boss?” Kaz suddenly felt inexplicably unsafe, which was patently ridiculous, because their base was in the middle of the ocean and they hadn’t made enough of a splash to draw much attention yet- 

“Boss.” Kazuhira repeated more firmly as he leaned onto his side so he could reach the light switch. “I’m really fine.” 

His guest was now standing next to his bed. He could hear their soft breathing as they hovered over him for the briefest of moments. It was enough time for Kazuhira to realize that this was not, in fact, Big Boss. His shape was all wrong. He opened his mouth to shout for help, but gloved hands wrapped around his throat in a flash and squeezed. His scream only came out as a soft, garbled gasp as his esophagus was constricted. 

Kaz flailed with his one leg and arm, momentarily blinded by panic. A fist slammed into his gut, momentarily freezing him as he struggled to breathe. Ironically, the punch was enough to knock some sense back into his mind. He was going to die if he didn’t do something. He had to come up with some sort of plan. Just flailing wouldn’t cut it! 

He groped for his cane as he writhed beneath his attacker. Finally, his fingers wrapped around the cold metal and he slammed it against their side. Whoever it was grunted, but merely squeezed his throat more tightly, leaning down closer to add his body weight to the pressure he was exerting on Miller’s throat. 

Kazuhira’s vision was blurring and exhaustion crashed over him as his body begged for air. He could hardly think anymore. He had to do something to get some attention, to get some help, or he was going to die right here, right now! He swung the cane backward instead of at his attacker and knocked the lamp and a coffee mug off the table. He heard the crash and shattering of glass, but it seemed woefully soft. He wasn’t sure if anyone was gonna hear that. 

Kazuhira was out of time. He couldn’t hold the cane in his hand anymore. It clattered to the ground, but he didn’t notice much. His body was relaxing, going limp. Was this how he was going to die? By being strangled in the middle of the night by some random asshole? After everything he had survived,  _ this _ was how he was going to die?! 

His eyes drifted shut. Well… Everyone  _ had _ been telling him to get some sleep. 

Just as Kazuhira gave up beneath the vices wrapped around his throat, something happened. His assailant made a strangled sound himself as they were pulled away. It took Miller a moment to realize that he could breathe again. Then, he gasped for air. He coughed and hacked, but he could breathe again! 

He heard rather than saw his little table get smashed with the weight of a man. It was a satisfying sound; Miller would gladly sacrifice that dinky table for some revenge. He rolled over onto his side so he could try to see what was happening, clutching at the mattress with his hand as he strained to adjust his position on the bed. He felt so damn heavy! 

He could see the bodies in the darkness, one comfortingly familiar in shape and form and the other being smashed into the concrete wall. Big Boss let the bastard fall to the ground and loomed over the man as he writhed in pain. 

There was something off about Big Boss, but Kaz couldn’t place exactly what it was until he realized two important details. 

“Maybe I should give you a taste of your own medicine.” His voice was a low growl. 

For one thing, Big Boss’s behavior in this moment was different. The difference was stark and unmistakable. Big Boss was talking. Big Boss was  _ still  _ talking. He was snarling in that beautiful, gravelly voice. And his words were so very Boss-like. He was straddling Miller’s assailant now and was wrapping his hands around the man’s throat. The justice was so very  _ Snake. _ Poetic retribution. Swift justice with no hesitation. 

For the week since Miller’s rescue, Big Boss had hovered over him, hardly speaking, and constantly worrying over how Miller was  _ feeling. _ The answer was always the same and it wasn’t shocking in the least. They had both seen people tortured and maimed before. Even if the situations were different, at least they all knew that losing a limb- or more than one limb- was life-shattering. It was natural for the amputee to be angry, emotional, and in agonizing phantom pain for months, even years. And yet, even knowing this, Big Boss had incessantly coddled him. As if that had been what he needed! Miller’s temper had been growing shorter by the hour; Big Boss had been smothering him with gentle, out-of-character touches, soft words, and worst of all,  _ silence _ . It had been driving Miller mad. Big Boss would just sit and stare at him for long minutes at a time and always without saying a word. Kazuhira was wearily waiting for Boss to come over and hover over him before holding him gently and coddling him once the threat had been neutralized. Wouldn’t that have been a bitch? 

But right now? In _this_ moment? Kazuhira had never been so happy to be strangled nearly to death, because Big Boss was acting _like_ _Big_ _Boss_! He was strangling Miller’s attacker and demanding answers. He would allow the man to provide said answers before continuing to squeeze his throat. Kaz realized that he had not been paying attention to anything that was being said, but that didn’t matter much in the moment. What mattered was the other important detail. And this detail should have been the very first thing Kazuhira Miller noticed. 

The shrapnel was gone and there was a beautifully sickening crack before the man under Big Boss’s hands went completely still. 

Big Boss was rising to his feet. Kazuhira couldn’t help but stare in awe as the man approached him, sitting on the bed next to him. Boss reached for Miller’s hand and helped him sit up, letting Kaz sag against his side. His grip was firmer than it had been in the days since he had found Kaz in that hellhole. 

“Boss…” Kaz whispered breathlessly. 

“Are you alright?” The gravel in Big Boss’s voice was so familiar, so warm, so commanding!  _ This  _ was Big Boss! 

“I dunno.” Miller admitted reluctantly. “Am I dreaming?” 

“Why do you ask?” Boss sounded amused and a little concerned at the same time. 

“The shrapnel is gone, Boss.” 

Big Boss went stiff against his side. That confirmed it, then. Kazuhira couldn’t be angry. He was so happy to be with Big Boss. The  _ real _ Big Boss. His Boss. Snake. 

“What the hell, Boss?” He pressed. 

“Hmm… I probably should have let him kill you.” 

Kaz knew he meant it. But it wasn’t anger or disapproval or a threat and it didn’t mean that he wanted Miller dead per se. It was a tired realization that he had misstepped. It must be so foreign to Snake to slip up. 

“Do you regret it?” Kaz asked softly. 

“Hm?” Big Boss hummed. “No, I don’t regret it. But that doesn’t change the fact that I shouldn’t have done this. Just under nine years of sleep and a lot of preparation have all gone to waste if you don’t keep this quiet. And quiet isn’t exactly your forte, is it, Kaz?” 

Kaz reached for the light switch, but Big Boss caught his hand. “Snake, I want to see you.” 

“You didn’t answer my question, Kaz. Are you alright?” 

Kaz frowned. “Yeah, I guess. My throat hurts, but I’m not dead.” 

Big Boss sighed, letting go of Miller’s hand. “Your arm and your leg, Kaz. I wanted you safe. I wasn’t ready to come back yet. There are things I have to do first, but you and the others needed me. My double didn’t do a very good job, did he?” 

Kaz winced as the mentioning of his missing limbs triggered stabbing, sawing agony that screamed almost too loudly for Kaz to even think. “You didn’t come for me.” Kaz realized after a moment. “You sent somebody else to pretend to be you and rescue me.” 

“That’s right.” 

Kaz lunged for the light switch and turned back to Big Boss. He grabbed the older man’s face and turned it to face him. “Who is that man, then?” 

“He’s me.” Big Boss answered. 

“That makes no sense.” 

“Doesn’t have to. Just pretend for a while. I’ll come back for you. I promise.” 

Kazuhira Miller might have believed him once. He wanted to believe him now. But Kazuhira Miller was nine years older than he was when Big Boss went into that coma and he wasn’t half as naive as he used to be. 

“Okay, Boss.” 

“Get some sleep, Kaz. You look like hell.” 

“You’ll be gone when I wake up.” 

“He’ll be here in the meantime. I’ll be watching. And Ocelot will be limping tomorrow, if it makes you feel better.” 

Kaz snorted despite himself. “Ah, and why will that be?” 

“He’s not doing a good job of securing the place, is he? You could have died. He should have told me about what was happening to you. I never would have let it get this far if I knew and he will regret keeping it secret from me.” 

“The men will ask questions.” 

“The men will be informed that Ocelot protected their XO from an assassination attempt and was injured in the process. Simple enough.” 

Before Kaz could answer, Big Boss stood up and pushed Kaz back down against his pillow. Then, he quietly began to walk away. Kaz pushed himself back up, but Big Boss was already stepping through the door. 

“Boss, wait!” 

“Shhh. Good night, Kaz. Ocelot will be by to take out the trash shortly.” And he shut the door with a soft click. 


End file.
